A man charged with stealing a car which he then used in a hold-up has been acquitted - nine years after the crime was committed.

Clayton Cremona, 29, from Mosta, was charged with committing the hold-up at  St Rita Service Station in Naxxar in August 2005.

The police had received information from petrol pump attendant Max Wayne Camilleri that he was forced to hand over the money and that the accused was to blame.

Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera said that it was suspicious how Mr Camilleri only spoke up a month after the hold-up and only when questioned by the police over his possible involvement.

Mr Camilleri by his own admission had a drug a problem and the court believed that he was trying to pass the blame onto someone else.

There was also no evidence tying the accused to the case.